Glendronach 12 Years Old (Original Double Cask Matured)

A distillery release of Glendronach, a 12 year old, at 40%. Glendronach is a Highland single malt, founded in 1826 near Huntly in Aberdeenshire. It was bought in 2008 by Billy Walker's BenRiach company, who rebuilt it as a heavily sherried single malt.

The spirit was run slowly off the spirit still, giving a deep, full bodied Highland spirit. An Oloroso cask held it, drawing the rich spirit on over the years. Through integration spirit and wood marry, vanillin rounding out as esters lend riper orchard fruit and a chocolate depth. Active first fill sherry wood drives the maturation, the cask deep in the malt. Maturation runs slow and even in the traditional dunnage warehouses on the Forgue site. The full spirit deepens with time, the cask drawing out its darker register. Long ageing turns the fresh notes towards date, prune and a dark, bittersweet chocolate.

At 40% it is smooth and rich. Orange, raisin and a treacle edge, with dried fruit, fig and walnut from the cask. A dark chocolate and a soft oak give it weight. The finish is long, rich and spiced. This is a full bodied Highland single malt of real richness.